Julii Tyson receives seafood industry honours

Julii Tyson of Humpty Doo Barramundi has been recognised for her contribution to the seafood industry with her induction on to the inaugural Women in Seafood Australasia (WISA) Honour Roll, which was announced Friday 19 October 2018.

The honour roll was launched as part of WISA’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

Humpty Doo Barramundi’s Julii Tyson is among the first women to be inducted into the Honour Roll, which included Territorian Carmel Ball of Carmel's Seafood Market.

The WISA Women’s Honour Roll will be announced every two years, acknowledging and celebrating the outstanding achievements of women in seafood. Formerly Women's Industry Network Seafood Community (WINSC), the name was changed on Friday night, along with the launch of the Honour Roll, to celebrate 20 years of women in the seafood industry.

Julii Tyson has been a member of the community organisation since 2003. A highlight of this time was organising a joint conference of WISA (then WINSC) and Australian Women in Agriculture in 2010, which brought 65 delegates from Australia & Papua New Guinea to Darwin for four days of tours, Board meetings and functions at Parliament House and industry locations. The conference, themed ‘Better use of technology’ was highly regarded.

Julii believes women have an important role to play in the seafood industry in Australia and globally.

“Women need to get on to Boards, be seen and have influence,”

says Julii.

“When I joined the organisation, it was very much focussed on wild fishers,” says Julii. “I was one of the first people from aquaculture to join. Over the years members have had the opportunity to support each other and find synergies with different aspects of the industry.”

Julii's contribution to the Australian seafood industry

Julii has had the opportunity to form a diverse range of contacts through the rural and seafood industries, hospitality and with research organisations like the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the then Seafood Cooperative Research Centre. One area Julii had the opportunity to contribute was during the drought relief in 2008.

“My work flowed on to liaising with the National Rural Women’s Coalition, and I become involved in lobbying government for fishers to be included in the definition applied to Exceptional Circumstances assistance schemes that are available to farmers. Research through the FRDC has shown drought affects our wild fisheries at their crucial nursery stage and has flow on effects with catches down the line.”

Julii Tyson entered the seafood industry in 1994 when she and her husband Bob purchased Humpty Doo Barramundi. In the early days, this wife and husband team personally delivered barramundi to restaurants around Darwin. The farm now delivers 60 tonnes of premium saltwater barramundi around Australia, three times a week.

Julii has a reputation amongst her peers as a tireless networker, always welcoming to people new to the industry and being prepared to ‘get involved’. Her nomination to the WISA Honour Roll is encouraged and supported by others in the industry—a true testament to the respect she has earned in the seafood industry.